ABSTRACT
Beer instability (excepting biological instability) can be classified into several categories: Physical (haze, turbidity), foam, gushing, flavor and lightstruck. Precipitates tend to develop when beer is subjected to extremes of temperature. Beer exposed to high temperatures may also develop precipitates. All beer proteins have been found to be glycosylated to varying degrees. The balance between flavonoid polyphenols tannoidsand sensitive proteins largely dictates physical or colloidal stability. Beer chill haze consists of a loose bonding of high molecular weight proteins with highly condensed polyphenols. Employing stabilizers can produce beers with a longer shelf life. There is little doubt that the most challenging quality problem that brewers currently encounter is the control of beer flavor stability. Although there are many factors that will influence the flavor stability of beer, the oxygen level in the final package is of paramount importance.
